Do any LED fixtures produce an HPS-like color?
- Thread starter tstick
- Start date
Prawn Connery
Well-Known Member
We're growing plants, not reptiles, and there is more to "UV" than just UVB – which itself is not a defined single point on the spectrum, but covers a range of wavelengths with different properties.
Not mine, mate. My diodes are mostly made in Japan and have THE most efficient UVA diodes available (NVSU219C).
Drop That Sound
Well-Known Member
Nope. Those same bulbs are highly discouraged for use with reptiles as a UVB source. They just don't work, and your reptiles won't be able to synthesize d3. Go to any reptile forum and ask if they are ok to use. They shouldn't even be on the market, like half the other garbage they try to pawn off at the pet stores.
Drop That Sound
Well-Known Member
Maybe not yours then, but many if not most of the other brands I see have cashed in on using the cheap diodes for awhile now. Now they even admit it doesn't do anything, unless you buy the bars instead, right?
Even then, its not gonna output anywhere near what you could get with a cheaper retpile T-5 HO bulb setup, that actually has real UV output, not just the weak end of the UV spectrum. t-5 is king as far as UV output.
"NVSU219C" only found less than 10.. well 36, if you count the omitted results, across the entire world wide web via google web search. I only have your word to go by... other than spec sheets mostly in Japanese. I'll just have to take your word for it then?
I understand, we're growing plants. Many people have been using reptile equipment to supplement plants for years anyway. Now they have insane UV t-5 bulbs that output like 25/75% made just for growing.. Why are they even making those bulbs if LED is so good?
Drop That Sound
Well-Known Member
Fine, one of you guys buy me one then, and maybe I'll be more convinced about super quality japanese UV diodes:
Only 152.90 for a 9 watt UVA/B lamp, with not a single review! Well...one comment on the youtube video for the product, someone said they were told to return it because it was too weak, and zoomed replied saying it might be TOO MUCH for a bearded dragon. It has a f'ing bearded dragon right on the box they sell it in, haha. Ok?
Says it degrades to 50% output in 4 years on a 12/12 schedule. I'm guessing thats just the UVB diodes though..
How is that not gonna affect my turtle? Like, I'll have to keep mounting it closer and closer each year to make up for the loss? Are people just supposed to know that after a few years their reptile is only getting maybe 50%, unless you mount the bulb waaay down in the tank, within inches of the basking area for the last few years of its life?
I can't beleive they are just throwing it out there like that. Almost like they are using peoples animals as R&D. Plants, I could see..
I give the product a till the end of the year before its pulled, lol.
Only 152.90 for a 9 watt UVA/B lamp, with not a single review! Well...one comment on the youtube video for the product, someone said they were told to return it because it was too weak, and zoomed replied saying it might be TOO MUCH for a bearded dragon. It has a f'ing bearded dragon right on the box they sell it in, haha. Ok?
Says it degrades to 50% output in 4 years on a 12/12 schedule. I'm guessing thats just the UVB diodes though..
How is that not gonna affect my turtle? Like, I'll have to keep mounting it closer and closer each year to make up for the loss? Are people just supposed to know that after a few years their reptile is only getting maybe 50%, unless you mount the bulb waaay down in the tank, within inches of the basking area for the last few years of its life?
I can't beleive they are just throwing it out there like that. Almost like they are using peoples animals as R&D. Plants, I could see..
I give the product a till the end of the year before its pulled, lol.
Prawn Connery
Well-Known Member
I completely agree. If UVB is what you want, then reptile bulbs are currently better than LEDs. But I'm still growing plants, not reptiles . . .
We buy direct from Nichia. Nichia is the world's biggest LED company and is the world-leader in UV diodes. They make other UVA and UVB diodes, but the 405nm diodes have several advantages: namely 405nm light is photosynthetic, the diodes are cheaper and have longer life, are more efficient (around 71-72% measured efficiency) and are potentially less damaging to plants if overexposed.